DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Drawings
The drawings were received on 9/01/2023. These drawings are not approved as they do not conform with the requirements of 37 CFR “1.84 Standards for drawings.”
“(l) Character of lines, numbers, and letters. All drawings must be made by a process which will give them satisfactory reproduction characteristics. Every line, number, and letter must be durable, clean, black (except for color drawings), sufficiently dense and dark, and uniformly thick and well-defined. The weight of all lines and letters must be heavy enough to permit adequate reproduction. This requirement applies to all lines however fine, to shading, and to lines representing cut surfaces in sectional views. Lines and strokes of different thicknesses may be used in the same drawing where different thicknesses have a different meaning.” The drawings are objected to because they are of poor line quality. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
The claims are generally narrative and indefinite, failing to conform with current U.S. practice. They appear to be a literal translation into English from a foreign document and are replete with grammatical and idiomatic errors.
Claim 1 “a welding unit installed in an interior of the welding booth and configured to weld a battery component part transported along a predetermined transport path” does not positively claim any structure to move parts along the transport path. Accordingly, this is merely a functional recitation since every predetermined transport path is predetermined, e.g. an operator manually pushing the item along a path.
Claim 5 “the base member” lacks antecedent basis and is unclear if it is the same as “base portion”
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 1-5, 9, 15-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over DE 102021005307 (Steffens) in view of CN 211866918 (Zhou)1. Steffens teaches (1) A battery welding system, comprising: a welding booth 4; a welding unit 5 installed in an interior of the welding booth and configured to weld a battery component part transported along a predetermined transport path 3; and a component part unloading module 9 each installed in the interior of the welding booth and configured to unload the battery component part 2 and a part unloading position 9 of the transport path, respectively; and a fire detection unit [page 2, 2nd ¶ from end; page 3, 2nd ¶ from end] configured to detect occurrence of a fire in the battery component part 2. (2) wherein the fire detection unit comprises at least one flame detecting sensor, at least one smoke detecting sensor, and at least one thermal imaging camera that are installed on an interior surface of the welding booth [e.g. temperature, smoke and camera sensors page 2, 2nd ¶ from end; page 3, 2nd ¶ from end]. (3) wherein the fire detection unit further comprises a CCTV [camera] installed on the interior surface of the welding booth [cameras page 2, 2nd ¶ from end; page 3, 2nd ¶ from end]. To the extent the CCTV is not inherent via the use of a camera, the examiner takes official notice that it is extremely well known to use the cameras as part of a CCTV video surveillance system for monitoring, security, etc. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to employ a CCTV camera, as part of a CCTV video surveillance system for monitoring, security, etc. (4) a fire extinguishing material storage tank 7 installed adjacent to a predetermined part unloading position 9 of the transport path within the interior of the welding booth. (5) wherein the fire extinguishing material storage tank comprises: a base portion [bottom of 7] installed at a bottom in the interior of the welding booth; and a tank portion [for material via 11] installed in an upper portion of the base member and configured to store the fire extinguishing material. (9) wherein: a battery component part on fire is transported to the predetermined part unloading position 9 through the transport path; and the component part unloading module 9 is configured to unload the battery component part on fire at the predetermined part unloading position, and to put the battery component part into an interior of the fire extinguishing material storage tank. (15) wherein the fire detection unit is installed in the welding booth 4 [page 2, 2nd ¶ from end; page 3, 2nd ¶ from end]. (20) A system for assembling a battery pack for an electric vehicle [intended use] comprising the battery welding system of claim 1.
Steffens does not each (1) a component part loading module and a component part unloading module each installed in the interior of the welding booth and configured to load and unload the battery component part at a predetermined part loading position and a part unloading position of the transport path, respectively; Nor (16) wherein the welding unit comprises: a component part pallet that is transported along a main conveyor in the interior of the welding booth, and on which the battery component part is mounted; a clamping jig transported along an auxiliary conveyor in the interior of the welding booth, and configured to clamp the component part pallet; and a welding robot installed in the interior of the welding booth and configured to weld the battery component part on the component part pallet clamped in the clamping jig. (17) wherein: the main conveyor is disposed to penetrate the welding booth along the predetermined transport path; and the auxiliary conveyor is disposed in parallel with the main conveyor in the interior of the welding booth. (18) wherein: the component part loading module is configured to transport the component part pallet transported along the main conveyor to the clamping jig on the auxiliary conveyor; and the component part unloading module is configured to transport the battery component part on which a welding process is completed on the auxiliary conveyor by the welding robot to the main conveyor together with the component part pallet. (19) wherein the auxiliary conveyor is provided in the interior of the welding booth in a quantity of at least two. CN ‘918 teaches (1) a component part loading module 12 and a component part unloading module 72 each installed in the interior of the welding booth [with welding unit 4] and configured to load 12 and unload 72 the battery component part at a predetermined part loading position and a part unloading position of the transport path, respectively; (16) wherein the welding unit 4 comprises: a component part pallet 3, 31 that is transported along a main conveyor in the interior of the welding booth, and on which the battery component part 112 is mounted; a clamping jig [jaw] transported along an auxiliary conveyor in the interior of the welding booth [Figs. 3, 4], and configured to clamp the component part pallet [bottom of page 5 of machine translation]; and a welding robot 4 installed in the interior of the welding booth and configured to weld the battery component part on the component part pallet clamped in the clamping jig. (17) wherein: the main conveyor 2 is disposed to penetrate the welding booth along the predetermined transport path; and the auxiliary conveyor [other of 2 in Fig. 2; alternately in Fig. 1, plural conveyers 2 include at least three conveyers, two of which may be considered auxiliary] is disposed in parallel with the main conveyor in the interior of the welding booth. (18) wherein: the component part loading module 3, 31is configured to transport the component part pallet transported along the main conveyor to the clamping jig on the auxiliary conveyor [bottom of page 5 of machine translation]; and the component part unloading module 72 is configured to transport the battery component part on which a welding process is completed on the auxiliary conveyor by the welding robot to the main conveyor [main conveyer 2 connected to 71 in Fig. 1] together with the component part pallet. (19) wherein the auxiliary conveyor is provided in the interior of the welding booth in a quantity of at least two [other of 2 in Fig. 2; alternately in Fig. 1, plural conveyers 2 include at least three conveyers, two of which may be considered auxiliary]. CN ‘918 teaches the component part loading module and component part unloading module are typical modules used in the art for transporting the battery with pallet/bearing part 31 to facilitate assembly and conveying of the battery component parts that facilitates efficient assembly by the use of multiple parallel assembly lines.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to employ
(1) a component part loading module and a component part unloading module each installed in the interior of the welding booth and configured to load and unload the battery component part at a predetermined part loading position and a part unloading position of the transport path, respectively; Nor (16) wherein the welding unit comprises: a component part pallet that is transported along a main conveyor in the interior of the welding booth, and on which the battery component part is mounted; a clamping jig transported along an auxiliary conveyor in the interior of the welding booth, and configured to clamp the component part pallet; and a welding robot installed in the interior of the welding booth and configured to weld the battery component part on the component part pallet clamped in the clamping jig. (17) wherein: the main conveyor is disposed to penetrate the welding booth along the predetermined transport path; and the auxiliary conveyor is disposed in parallel with the main conveyor in the interior of the welding booth. (18) wherein: the component part loading module is configured to transport the component part pallet transported along the main conveyor to the clamping jig on the auxiliary conveyor; and the component part unloading module is configured to transport the battery component part on which a welding process is completed on the auxiliary conveyor by the welding robot to the main conveyor together with the component part pallet. (19) wherein the auxiliary conveyor is provided in the interior of the welding booth in a quantity of at least two;
As taught by CN ‘918, in order to utilize typical modules used in the art for transporting the battery with pallet/bearing part 31 to facilitate assembly and conveying of the battery component parts to facilitate assembly in multiple parallel conveyers in such a manner that facilitates efficient assembly by the use of multiple parallel assembly lines.
Claim(s) 5-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Steffens combination, as applied above, and further in view of CN 109638660 and for claims 7, 8, further in view of CN 114504749 (Wang). The prior art broadly teaches a base member and upper tank portion in the upper portion of the base member. The prior art do not teach (6) wherein the tank portion is installed in an upper surface of the base portion through at least one support spring. CN ‘660 teaches wherein the tank portion 1 is installed in an upper surface of the base portion 2 through at least one support spring 4 in a system with fire extinguishing unit, where the springs provide vibration damping [3rd paragraph before claims]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to employ a base portion installed at a bottom in the interior of the welding booth; and a tank portion installed in an upper portion of the base member and configured to store the fire extinguishing material, wherein the tank portion is installed in an upper surface of the base portion through at least one support spring, as taught by CN ‘660, in order to provide vibration damping between base and tank.
Zhou further teaches (5) wherein the fire extinguishing material storage tank comprises: a base portion [bottom of 7] installed at a bottom in the interior of the welding booth; and a tank portion [for material via 11] installed in an upper portion of the base member and configured to store the fire extinguishing material. (7) wherein the tank portion comprises: a tank main body configured to accommodate the fire extinguishing material; and tank cover 10 rotatably installed in a vertical direction in an upper portion of the tank main body. (8) wherein the tank portion further comprises a return spring mounted in the tank main body, and connected to tank cover 10 [spring return, bottom of page 2, top of page 4] . The prior art teaches a single tank cover and do not teach for claims 7, 8, a pair of tank covers for tank main body.
(7) wherein the tank portion comprises: a tank main body configured to accommodate the fire extinguishing material; and a pair of tank covers rotatably installed in a vertical direction in an upper portion of the tank main body. (8) wherein the tank portion further comprises a return spring mounted in the tank main body, and connected to the pair of tank covers. CN ‘749 teaches (7) wherein the tank portion comprises: a tank main body configured to accommodate the fire extinguishing material 3; and a pair of tank covers 22, 23 rotatably installed in a vertical direction in an upper portion of the tank main body 3, and dropping the battery into the fire extinguishing storage tank. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to replace the single tank cover with return spring with a pair of tank covers rotatably installed in a vertical direction in an upper portion of the tank main body and each having a return spring, as using a pair of tank covers and springs is an obvious matter of using multiple parts for the same function and which facilitates an equivalent way of dropping the battery into the fire extinguishing storage tank.
Claim(s) 1-5, 9-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Steffens combination, as applied above, and further in view of Koh et al (KR 20190143699) and Fujiki (2023/0227297), and for claim 11-12, 16-20 further in view of Fiedler et al (2022/0285794) and for claim 13, optionally in view of Peng et al(2024/0165444) and for claim 14, further in view of Kang (2021/0283437). Steffens already teaches (10) a controller [implicit, as the door 9 is automatically opened when fire is sensed] configured to apply a control signal and the component part unloading module when it is determined by the fire detection unit that fire has occurred in the battery component part. Steffens does not clearly teach a controller configured to apply a control signal to the welding unit and broadly teaches the component part unloading module. Koh et al teach (10) a controller 200 configured to apply a control signal to the welding unit 100 when it is determined by the fire detection unit that fire has occurred in the battery component part. Fujiki also teaches (10) a controller 53 configured to apply a control signal to the component part unloading module 15, 3 when it is determined by the fire detection unit 9 that fire has occurred in the battery component part 7, 8. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize a (10) a controller configured to apply a control signal to the welding unit, as taught by Koh, when it is determined by the fire detection unit that fire has occurred in the battery component part. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to make the controller configured to apply a control signal to the component part unloading module when it is determined by the fire detection unit that fire has occurred in the battery component part, as taught by Fujiki, so as to unload and suppress battery fire.
Steffens does not teach: (11) wherein: the welding unit is moved to an evacuation position predetermined on the transport path; and a battery component part on fire is moved to the predetermined part unloading position of the transport path. (12) wherein the component part unloading module is configured to grip the battery component part on fire at the predetermined part unloading position, transport the battery component part to a fire extinguishing material storage tank, and put the battery component part into an interior of the fire extinguishing material storage tank. (13) wherein the controller is configured to apply the control signal to the welding unit and the component part unloading module when it is determined by manipulation of a fire button that fire has occurred in the battery component part. (14) a fire extinguishing air bag module installed in the component part unloading module, and configured to receive the control signal from the controller and deploy an air bag.
Fiedler teaches (11) wherein: the welding unit 13 , 12 is moved to an evacuation position [safe position, ¶ 0050] predetermined on the transport path; and a battery component part 6 on fire is moved to the predetermined [extinguishing of the applied prior art] position of the transport path. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to employ (11) wherein: the welding unit is moved to an evacuation position predetermined on the transport path; and a battery component part on fire is moved to the predetermined extinguishing / part unloading position of the transport path, as taught by Fielder, in order to protect the welding unit when a fire occurs by moving it to a safe position.Fiedler also teaches (13) wherein the controller 15 is configured to apply the control signal to when it is determined by manipulation of a fire button 14 that fire has occurred in the battery component part [¶ 0055]. Similarly, Peng teaches [Fig. 1] (13) wherein the controller is configured to apply the control signal to the unit [e.g. device powered off, etc.] when it is determined by manipulation of a fire button [manually control, start in emergency, Fig. 1, ¶ 0075] that fire has occurred in the battery component part [¶ 0047]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have the controller is configured to apply the control signal when it is determined by manipulation of a fire button that fire has occurred in the battery component part, as taught by Fiedler or Peng, so that the human can cause the controller to actuate the fire extinguishing operation. Note claim 12 may be treated by the combination of Steffens with Zhou (12) wherein the component part unloading module is configured to grip the battery component part [Zhou] on fire [taught by Steffens] at the predetermined part unloading position [taught by Zhou], transport the battery component part to a fire extinguishing material storage tank [Steffens], and put the battery component part into an interior of the fire extinguishing material storage tank [Steffens]. Alternately, Fujiki teaches (12) wherein the component part unloading module 3 [crane] is configured to “grip” [with fork 15 or hook, see ¶ 0136-137] the battery component part 7, 3 on fire at the predetermined part unloading position, transport [along rail 4] the battery component part 7, 8 to a fire extinguishing material storage tank 10 [laterally spaced from 4 in Fig. 1, ¶ 0061+], and put the battery component part 7, 8 into an interior of the fire extinguishing material storage tank 10 [Fig. 10]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to employ wherein the component part unloading module is configured to grip the battery component part [with grip of Zhou and which is analogous to the crane of Fujiki] on fire at the predetermined part unloading position, transport the battery component part to a fire extinguishing material storage tank, and put the battery component part into an interior of the fire extinguishing material storage tank, as taught by Fujiki, in order to quench the fire by use of the water submersion tank. Fujiki further teaches (14) a fire extinguishing covering module {analogous to an air bag} 43 installed in the component part unloading module 14, and configured to receive the control signal from the controller and deploy the cover 43 for initially smothering the fire [Figs. 6, 10, ¶ 0101-0105] prior to submersion in the water tank 10. Kang teaches (14) a fire extinguishing air bag module 30 installed in the component part unloading module, and configured to receive the control signal 41 from the controller 20 and deploy an air bag 42 to suppress a battery 3 fire [see Fig. 4]. As the component part unloading module of the prior art is where the fire is located, It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to employ (14) a fire extinguishing air bag module, and configured to receive the control signal from the controller and deploy an air bag, as taught by Kang, installed in the component part unloading module of the prior art, as taught by Fujiki, where Kang teaches deploying an air bag to suppress a battery fire, where Fujiki teaches this fire suppression cover is located in to the component part unloading module and used prior to submersion in the water tank. Furthermore, the part unloading position of the transport path of claim 1 in this alternate construction has been modified by Fujiki to be the location the battery component part is unloaded and taken to the fire suppression system/storage tank.
In combination Steffens modified by Zhou and Fujiki [and Fiedler, Peng] teaches:
(1) A battery welding system, comprising: a welding booth [Steffens / Zhou]; a welding unit installed in an interior of the welding booth and configured to weld a battery component part transported along a predetermined transport path [Steffens / Zhou]; a component part loading module [of Zhou] and a component part unloading module [of Zhou] each installed in the interior of the welding booth and configured to load and unload the battery component part at a predetermined part loading position [Zhou] and a part unloading position [Zhou, modified by Fujiki] of the transport path, respectively; and a fire detection unit configured to detect occurrence of a fire in the battery component part. (2) wherein the fire detection unit comprises at least one flame detecting sensor, at least one smoke detecting sensor, and at least one thermal imaging camera that are installed on an interior surface of the welding booth. (3) wherein the fire detection unit further comprises a CCTV installed on the interior surface of the welding booth. (4) a fire extinguishing material storage tank [Zhou, modified by Fiedler] installed adjacent to a predetermined part unloading position of the transport path within the interior of the welding booth. (5) wherein the fire extinguishing material storage tank comprises: a base portion installed at a bottom in the interior of the welding booth; and a tank portion installed in an upper portion of the base member and configured to store the fire extinguishing material. (9) wherein: a battery component part on fire is transported to the predetermined part unloading position through the transport path; and the component part unloading module [Zhou, modified by Fujiki]is configured to unload the battery component part on fire at the predetermined part unloading position, and to put the battery component part into an interior of the fire extinguishing material storage tank [Zhou, modified by Fujiki]. (10) a controller configured to apply a control signal to the welding unit and the component part unloading module when it is determined by the fire detection unit that fire has occurred in the battery component part. (11) wherein: the welding unit is moved to an evacuation position predetermined on the transport path; and a battery component part on fire is moved to the predetermined part unloading position of the transport path [Zhou, modified by Fujiki]. (12) wherein the component part unloading module is configured to grip the battery component part on fire at the predetermined part unloading position, transport the battery component part to a fire extinguishing material storage tank, and put the battery component part into an interior of the fire extinguishing material storage tank [Zhou, modified by Fujiki]. (13) wherein the controller is configured to apply the control signal to the welding unit and the component part unloading module [Zhou, modified by Fujiki] when it is determined by manipulation of a fire button [Fiedler or Peng] that fire has occurred in the battery component part. (14) a fire extinguishing air bag module installed in the component part unloading module, and configured to receive the control signal from the controller and deploy an air bag [Kang with Fielder]. (15) wherein the fire detection unit is installed in the welding booth. (16) wherein the welding unit [Zhou] comprises: a component part pallet that is transported along a main conveyor in the interior of the welding booth, and on which the battery component part is mounted; a clamping jig transported along an auxiliary conveyor in the interior of the welding booth, and configured to clamp the component part pallet; and a welding robot [Zhou or Fiedler] installed in the interior of the welding booth and configured to weld the battery component part on the component part pallet clamped in the clamping jig. (17) wherein: the main conveyor is disposed to penetrate the welding booth along the predetermined transport path; and the auxiliary conveyor is disposed in parallel with the main conveyor in the interior of the welding booth [Zhou ]. (18) wherein: the component part loading module [Zhou] is configured to transport the component part pallet transported along the main conveyor to the clamping jig on the auxiliary conveyor; and the component part unloading module is configured to transport the battery component part on which a welding process is completed on the auxiliary conveyor by the welding robot [Zhou or Fiedler] to the main conveyor together with the component part pallet. (19) wherein the auxiliary conveyor is provided in the interior of the welding booth in a quantity of at least two [Zhou]. (20) A system for assembling a battery pack for an electric vehicle comprising the battery welding system of claim 1.
Note that the prior art applied to CN ‘918 (Zhou) for claims 16-19 were already applied to teach a welding unit with a welding robot. For an alternate treatment of this limitation, Fiedler teaches the welding unit is a welding robot [¶ 0008, 0050]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to make the welding unit a welding robot, as the typical welding unit utilized in the art. For claim 20, as previously treated, “a battery pack for an electric vehicle” was treated as intended use. Alternately, Fiedler teaches the battery packs for electric vehicles are well known application of the welded battery packs with fire risk [¶ 0005]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize a battery pack for an electric vehicle as taught by Fiedler, as a typical application for battery packs with fire risk manufactured in the art by welding.
Claim(s) 1-5, 9, 15-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN 211866918 (Zhou in view of Fujiki (2023/0227297), and for claim 11-12, 16-20 further in view of Fiedler et al (2022/0285794) in view of Koh et al (KR 20190143699) and for claim 13, optionally in view of Peng et al(2024/0165444) and for claim 14, further in view of Kang (2021/0283437). Zhou teaches (1) A battery welding system, comprising: a welding booth [Figs. 1, 2, with welding unit 4]; a welding unit 4 installed in an interior of the welding booth and configured to weld a battery component part transported along a predetermined transport path 2; a component part loading module 12 and a component part unloading module 72 each installed in the interior of the welding booth [with welding unit 4] and configured to load 12 and unload 72 the battery component part at a predetermined part loading position and a part unloading position of the transport path, respectively;, respectively; and a fire detection unit configured to detect occurrence of a fire in the battery component part. (2) wherein the fire detection unit comprises at least one flame detecting sensor, at least one smoke detecting sensor, and at least one thermal imaging camera that are installed on an interior surface of the welding booth. (3) wherein the fire detection unit further comprises a CCTV installed on the interior surface of the welding booth. (4) a fire extinguishing material storage tank installed adjacent to a predetermined part unloading position of the transport path within the interior of the welding booth. (5) wherein the fire extinguishing material storage tank comprises: a base portion installed at a bottom in the interior of the welding booth; and a tank portion installed in an upper portion of the base member and configured to store the fire extinguishing material. (6) wherein the tank portion is installed in an upper surface of the base portion through at least one support spring. (7) wherein the tank portion comprises: a tank main body configured to accommodate the fire extinguishing material; and a pair of tank covers rotatably installed in a vertical direction in an upper portion of the tank main body. (8) wherein the tank portion further comprises a return spring mounted in the tank main body, and connected to the pair of tank covers. (9) wherein: a battery component part on fire is transported to the predetermined part unloading position through the transport path; and the component part unloading module is configured to unload the battery component part on fire at the predetermined part unloading position, and to put the battery component part into an interior of the fire extinguishing material storage tank. (10) a controller configured to apply a control signal to the welding unit and the component part unloading module when it is determined by the fire detection unit that fire has occurred in the battery component part. (11) wherein: the welding unit is moved to an evacuation position predetermined on the transport path; and a battery component part on fire is moved to the predetermined part unloading position of the transport path. (12) wherein the component part unloading module is configured to grip the battery component part on fire at the predetermined part unloading position, transport the battery component part to a fire extinguishing material storage tank, and put the battery component part into an interior of the fire extinguishing material storage tank. (13) wherein the controller is configured to apply the control signal to the welding unit and the component part unloading module when it is determined by manipulation of a fire button that fire has occurred in the battery component part. (14) a fire extinguishing air bag module installed in the component part unloading module, and configured to receive the control signal from the controller and deploy an air bag. (15) wherein the fire detection unit is installed in the welding booth. (16) wherein the welding unit comprises: a component part pallet that is transported along a main conveyor in the interior of the welding booth, and on which the battery component part is mounted; a clamping jig transported along an auxiliary conveyor in the interior of the welding booth, and configured to clamp the component part pallet; and a welding robot installed in the interior of the welding booth and configured to weld the battery component part on the component part pallet clamped in the clamping jig. (17) wherein: the main conveyor is disposed to penetrate the welding booth along the predetermined transport path; and the auxiliary conveyor is disposed in parallel with the main conveyor in the interior of the welding booth. (18) wherein: the component part loading module is configured to transport the component part pallet transported along the main conveyor to the clamping jig on the auxiliary conveyor; and the component part unloading module is configured to transport the battery component part on which a welding process is completed on the auxiliary conveyor by the welding robot to the main conveyor together with the component part pallet. (19) wherein the auxiliary conveyor is provided in the interior of the welding booth in a quantity of at least two. (20) A system for assembling a battery pack for an electric vehicle comprising the battery welding system of claim 1.
Prior Art
KR-20240071440 reference teaches fire suppression in a welding booth.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the Examiner should be directed to TED KIM whose telephone number is 571-272-4829. The Examiner can be reached on regular business hours before 5:00 pm, Monday to Thursday and every other Friday.
The fax number for the organization where this application is assigned is 571-273-8300.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Devon Kramer, can be reached at 571-272-7118. Alternate inquiries to Technology Center 3700 can be made via 571-272-3700.
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/Ted Kim/
Telephone
571-272-4829
Primary Examiner
Fax
571-273-8300
June 23, 2026
1 Hence Steffens combination
Prosecution Insights